And so simultaneously all four items are placed in the runic circles- each of which glows momentarily as the item placed within disappears. The next sound is a huge roar- coming directly from the center of the sector- Dirty however remains silent.

Winstanley the Halfling Rogue scurries out of the chamber he’s in, the room with ruined statues- having cleared the way before hand he makes it out of the chamber and to just shy of Dirty’s position in one quick dash. Behind the Halfling, back in the chamber of broken statues, two crossbow turrets descend from the ceiling- alas there are no targets for the artillery.

Crossbow Turret- Alas the Rogue with initiative 30+ is already long gone.

Grey has much less luck, the Wizard is suddenly beset by a spinning vortex made up from all four elements, grabbed. whisked and dragged further back into the chamber- the mage is in the pool chamber, the blue liquid suddenly rears up like some great elemental water spout and snags him. Grey screams for help.

Elemental Vortex- Let the Spin Cycle begin.

The next noise is a huge rumbling sound, Dirty and Winstanley look on in astonishment, a great tumbling boulder appears from nowhere and begins to rapidly roll around the inner track- the object is enormous, the magic that makes it function is incredible- this is the Doom Sphere.

Doom Sphere- A massive sphere of… well, doom, I guess.

Grey figures he’s going to have to rescue himself, the mage tears himself free of the Elemental Vortex, and then using his Expeditious Retreat rushes straight into the central chamber. At which point the Guardian appears, as the ghosts said it’s a Green Dragon- Dirty charges into the beast as soon as it flies out of the pit- the Dwarf hits it with his maul, and then again as the great beast flies up and over Grey’s head- and into the inner track- it’s not hanging around.

Young Green Dragon- Green but not naive, the magical beast gets away from Dirty as quick as it can.

Phrenic, in the temple of Baphomet is suddenly assaulted by a sonic attack, both minotaur statues within the chamber roar, moments later the addled Warlord rushes into the inner track, and then around it- heading for a direct collision with the Doom Sphere. Winstanley is somewhat confused as the Tiefling rushes past him- “Where’s he going?” the Halfling worries, he tries to grab Phrenic but the Warlord is too fast.

Roaring Terror- Phrenic is confused.

Phrenic rushes around the corner- out of sight, and is moments later run down by the Doom Sphere, the Tiefling screams as he’s crushed.

Kaspard meanwhile also fails to make much headway, the Priestess is suddenly grabbed, clawed and assaulted- the bony skeleton remains in the cells come alive crawl across the floor and then clog the exit to the inner track. Kaspard sings out- she’s stuck, held tight by the limbs of the flailing dead.

Grasping Dead- Kaspard’s not going anywhere.

Dirty meanwhile rushes around the pit and then out of the central chamber, he charges into the rear of the Green Dragon, having to leap to get at the low flying beast- he smashes it with his maul. Seconds later Grey is at the Dwarf’s side, and the Green Dragon is bathed in flame courtesy of the Wizard’s Fire Shroud, the great beast is left burning by his power. The Green Dragon turns on the spot, and then launches itself up and over Grey and Dirty, it bathes both of the adventurers in its poisonous Breath Weapon- only the mage however is affected. The great beast is smashed again as it flies over the pair and into the chamber from which Grey emerged, at the very start of the encounter.

Kaspard meanwhile is still being held firm, and also being clawed by the skeletal remains the Grasping Dead, the Priestess continues to scream for assistance. Phrenic comes to his senses- time to get out of the inner track, the Tiefling rushes forward and into the chamber which the Green Dragon flew into (more by luck than intent), Winstanley heads out of the central chamber- heading in the same direction as Warlord.

Dirty alas is less fortunate, the Dwarf meets the Doom Sphere and is crushed against the wall in an effort to get past the trap, it’s fortunate that the Fighter is Unbreakable, he rushes on following after Phrenic and Winstanley. Then runs into the pool chamber and into the rear of the Dragon with his Cometfall Charge- the creature screams in agony and turns again to face its foes, it Claws at Dirty but the Dwarf stands firm.

Grey meanwhile manages to throw off the poison from the Dragon’s Breath, but is left slowed and out of sorts, the mage limps to safety as best he can, off the inner track and away from the rumbling Doom Sphere.

Kaspard continues to scream and to try to escape the clutches of the Grasping Dead- she fails repeatedly, her cries bring Grey to her aid, but there’s little the mage can do- the Priestess however mutters Healing Words and the Wizard’s wounds are forgotten.

Phrenic moves in on the Dragon, cuts and bloodies the ferocious beast with his Sunder Armour attack (a crit)- the Dragon reacts in an instant- its Breath Weapon recharges and it fills the chamber before it with poison gas- miraculously none of the adventurers- Phrenic, Dirty & Winstanley are affected by the attack.

Can you believe that- I make three attack rolls and the highest is an unadjusted ‘9’.

Phrenic and Dirty have however wandered too close to the blue pool- the liquid suddenly roars and rises again- the Elemental Vortex is back, it slams both of the adventurers and grabs them- the pair are sent spinning, and out of the Dragon’s path.

Dirty however reacts quickly, rips himself free of the Vortex and slashes at the Dragon with his Steel Serpent Strike (another crit), the Dragon roars in terror, while the grinning Dwarf gets his Second Wind. Grey wanders into the chamber- still feeling the after effects of the Dragon’s Breath, the Wizard conjures and slams a Magic Missile (yet another crit, after the Sunder Armour its a crit on an ’18’+) into the great beast.

The Dragon rises up and roars, the walls and the ceiling of the chamber shake as it announces its Frightful Presence- Dirty is left stunned, the Dragon leaps into the air and then languorously (its slowed) flies over the adventurers- heading back for the central chamber, Phrenic stabs up and cuts it as it departs.

Kaspard alas can still not escape from the Grasping Dead that continue to clutch and tear at the Priestess. Phrenic however rips himself free of the clutches of the Elemental Vortex, he doesn’t escape for long. The Vortex whirls again and the stunned Dirty, and Phrenic are again battered in its spiral, grabbed and drawn into the maelstrom.

It’s left to Winstanley to follow after the Dragon, the Halfling somehow manages to dodge past the Doom Sphere in the inner track, without harm, and then launch his magical dagger into the Dragon, the great beast moans- almost spent.

Grey shambles into sight and fires a Ray of Frost into the Guardian, which roars in terror and then swoops over the pair, and back into the pool chamber, the beast sees the stunned Dwarven Fighter- Dirty and lands and Claws, repeatedly at the adventurer. Dirty is Clawed four times in quick succession, left bloodied and almost unconscious (Dirty is on 2 hit points, he was on just shy of 60 hit points when the Dragon hit).

Kaspard at last escapes the clutches of the Grasping Dead, rushes into the pool chamber and delivers her Healing Words to Dirty, the Dwarf’s wounds are mostly forgotten- although he’s still very bloodied. Phrenic breaks free of the Elemental Vortex and then launches himself at the Dragon- slices the beast with a Crushing Blow (from his Armour of Exploits). The Dragon flops to the floor- beyond bloodied almost broken (on 2 hit points).

Alas the Elemental Vortex is unforgiving, it surges on and grabs up Kaspard, Grey and Winstanley- all three are battered by its storm and dragged back into the Vortex.

Suddenly Dirty blinks and then seconds later is in motion, he lurches towards the Dragon and then smashes his maul down with a Reaping Strike- the great beast is finally broken.

The Dragon falls, and a moment later the traps of the Proving Grounds cease to function- the encounter is over.

The guys breath hard, and around the table are wreathed in grins, that was an epic encounter, several of the PCs are very low on surges- at the bottom of the pile are Dirty with one, and Phrenic with none. But the guys are not yet sated- there’s Maldrick Scarmaker ahead, and the prisoners to rescue yet.

Kaspard employs her Comrade’s Succour ritual, and a while later the guys are feeling a little more capable of taking on their next enemies. They head off to the Inner Sanctum.